Practice Eating Less Every Day

A friend of mine is about to embark on an ambitious plan to have a ‘six pack’ by the time he turns 40. Although I say ambitious, it is by no means unachievable if he has the discipline to alter some of his existing habits. In order to achieve his goal a number of factors will need to be addressed including ;

• A structured eating plan
  
  
  
• Regular exercise with intensity
  
  
• Resistance training to build lean muscle tissue
  
  
• Core strengthening program

Now I know this friend pretty well and of the above points, the structured eating plan is most definitely going to be the most challenging for him. He loves his food and lots of it! As with almost anything ‘practice makes perfect’, and there is no exception to the rule here.

For most people, going ‘cold turkey’ on something rarely works. This can apply to smoking, drinking, exercise, drugs and also eating. It would be very difficult for a 30 cigarette per day smoker to wake up one day and just stop smoking. They need a plan to gradually reduce their intake over time until they are ready to stop completely. This type of plan is much more likely to result in a successful long term outcome, rather than a short term fix and then falling back into old habits.

So relating this back to eating, it is imperative to practice eating less every day. We, as humans, are conditioned to eat (and drink) certain amounts, for example, finishing all the food on your plate, having 2 slices of toast for breakfast, drinking a whole can of soft drink, eating a whole packet of chips. When was the last time you consciously left some food on your plate? Do you need 2 slices of toast in the morning? Could you have a small glass of soft drink if you ‘must’ have soft drink at all? Do you order a large coffee every morning? Try changing to a small coffee and do you HAVE to finish it all?

The mind and body are very powerful pieces of machinery. Gradually reducing the amount you eat at each meal will become easier over time as your body adjusts to the changes. This will allow you to ‘get in touch’ with your hunger, and question your hunger. Am I really hungry? We often eat because we are bored or because we are dehydrated or in some cases because we are stressed. So get to know your hunger signals and don’t be afraid to question them before you go to the fridge or the shop and who knows you may get that ‘six pack’ you always dreamed about!

Will A Food Diary Help Keep You On Track?

Most people, at some stage of their lives, will try a new diet or eating plan in an attempt to lose weight. There are numerous different diets doing the rounds these days and all of them have varying success rates depending on the discipline of the participant. One method that may assist your weight loss endeavours is to keep a food diary.

Again, with food diaries, there are many variations available but I find that the simpler they are the more likely they are to be completed. Some food diaries are far too complex making you measure everything that goes into your mouth

and counting each and every calorie as well as recording specific exercise details. These diaries are great for someone who is highly motivated and prepared to spend a lot of time monitoring their energy in versus energy out quantities. Most people however will find these too complex and won’t have the time to dedicate to them.

A simple food diary is often enough to identify some key areas of improvement in your diet whether it is in relation to;

• what you’re eating,
  
• when you’re eating
  
  
• or how much you’re eating (or drinking).

Making the commitment to write down everything that goes into your mouth can often be motivation in itself to cut out those junk food snacks that so often let us down and lead to unnecessary weight gain.

Of course you need someone to be accountable to, wheth

er it be your Personal Trainer, Partner, Best Friend, Dietician or Doctor. Accountability helps with self discipline and if you can combine these two traits then you are on the right path toward reaching your goals. If you don’t have someone else to be accountable to, you are more likely to’ fall off the wagon’, so to speak, or allow yourself some ‘cheat’ foods.

Here at Lifestyle Improvers we have developed our own F

ood Diary which is available to any of our members and we will also provide coaching tips to help guide you through the process. For more information go to our website http://www.lifestyleimprovers.com/contact.html or contact us on 1300339685.

Is Diabetes ‘Stalking’ You?

Most people are blissfully unaware if diabetes is sneaking up on them. The facts are that almost 900,000 Australians have been diagnosed with diabetes and scarily the most recent national data indicates one undiagnosed case for every diagnosed case according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s ‘Diabetes : Australian Facts 2008’ report.

The same report notes that the proportion of people diagnosed with diabetes between 1989-90 and 2004-05 more than doubled from 1.3 per cent to 3.3 per cent, largely driven by an increase in type 2 diabetes.

If you’ve got the condition, you’re three times as likely to have a stroke and twice as likely to have a heart attack, cataracts or glaucoma, yet up to 60 percent of cases could be delayed or prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising.

So do you think you’re at risk?

Your chances of developing diabetes are higher if you;

• have high blood pressure
• have heart disease
• have a family history of diabetes
• are overweight
• are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and over 35
• are over 55
• are diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose
• are of Chinese, Indian or Pacific Islander heritage and over 35

If you have any concerns regarding diabetes or even if you just want to get checked for peace of mind, please consult your registered Health Practitioner or comple

te one of our Lifestyle Improvers Health Diagnostics and let us assess the risk for you and work with you to develop a long term sustainable solution that w

ill keep diabetes from ‘stalking’ you. To complete a Diagnostic please go to our newly developed website www.lifestyleimprovers.com.au or phone us on 1300339685 and we’ll send one to you.

How Your Blood Sugar Works

Your body has a finely tuned system for controlling blood sugar. One of the key players is insulin,a powerful hormone that’s essential for helping move sugar from your blood into your cells. Below is a brief outline of how the process works – and how it can go wrong.

1. The basics – When you eat food that contains carbohydrates, most is absorbed as glucose into your bloodstream. As your blood-glucose level increases, your pancreas reacts by secreting the hormone insulin. Insulin then travels to the capillaries that deliver blood and nutrients to your muscles and brain. Once it’s in the capillaries, insulin is attracted to the receptors that reside on the outer membrane of your muscle and brain cells. It then binds to these receptors, like an electrical cord being plugged into a socket.
   
   
2. Healthy Response – In a person with normal blood sugar responses, the connection of insulin to its receptor sends a signal to a pool of glucose transporters – called GLUT -4 proteins – inside the cell. When the signal is received, these GLUT -4 proteins move out of their vesicle towards the surface of the cell, where they help glucose move across the cell membrane. This causes blood glucose to decrease and provides your muscle cells with sugar for fuel.
   
   
3. When the System Goes Bad – In a person with insulin resistance, the insulin receptor sends out a garbled signal. This is tantamount to a disconnected mobile phone call. Some or all of the GLUT -4 proteins never receive the message to move to the surface of the cell. As a result, glucose has no way in. The fewer GLUT -4 proteins on the surface of the cell, the higher your blood sugar remains. Ultimately, much of this excess blood sugar is diverted to the liver, where it’s converted to fat and can lead to increased insulin resistance – and higher blood sugar.
   

Often people with insulin resistance will struggle to lose weight despite making a concerted effort to exercise more and eat less. The damage is already done as per point 3 above. Only a committed approach to exercise and dietary change (under the supervision of a health professional) over an extended period of time will see the effects of insulin resistance nullified.

If you need assistance with developing an exercise program, Lifestyle Improvers would be more than happy to help you out. In fact go to our webpage www.lifestyleimprovers.com.au and claim your FREE Personal Training Starter Pack. Don’t procrastinate get started right now and take control of your health and your future.

Are You Braking or Accelerating?

After a few years in the fitness industry I have met a variety of people who want to achieve certain results by attending a gym. They are wide and varied as follows ;

• weight loss
• weight gain
• managing stress
• improving health
• having time to themselves
• wanting social interaction

just to name a few.


Everyone has extreme motivation when they first arrive and join a gym. Their foot is well and truly on the accelerator in the car of life.

But then something changes and they appear to slow. Why all of a sudden does the other foot slide onto the brake?

Why are they now sabotaging their goals?

I had no idea until reading a recent article about people taking pharmaceutical drugs for medical reasons.

Patients who take medicine for recovery from major operations have low adherence after 12 weeks – some pharmaceutical companies say as much as 80% of patients stop medication! And here is an example why . . .

A patient was told he needed to lose weight for maximum benefit from his medication. He was very successful initially – foot on the accelerator! But then he got worried that his fellow workers (who were overweight) would start to dislike him and that would make for an unhappy workplace, adding stress to his life. Stress he did not want! So he stopped losing weight and returned to his initial weight.

These people to him were unconsciously ‘enabling’ or ‘empowering’ him to remain overweight – at the risk of his own good health. This meant while one foot was on the accelerator, the other was on the brake.

The brake was his protection mechanism.

Whether you are trying to lose weight, reduce your stress, start an exercise program or create better balance in your life your foot must be on the accelerator – this allows you to create change.

What you do with the other foot is your choice but putting on the brake will either slow your progress or stop your progress, thus testing your resolve.

The key is to surround yourself with support. Whatever your goal in life or work, have the right people surrounding you to achieve your goals . . . make sure your enablers – conscious and subconscious – are positive ones, as you accelerate your way along a new healthier and happier superhighway!

Is Cortisol Harming Your Health?

Cortisol and Adrenalin are both hormones which are triggered in the body during times of stress. Whilst constantly high levels of cortisol can be detrimental to your health (and your waistline) it is actually an important hormone which is involved in a number of important functions including:

• Proper glucose metabolism
• Immune function
• Regulation of blood pressure
• Inflammatory response
• Insulin release for blood sugar maintenance

As you can see from the above list, stress isn’t the only reason that cortisol is secreted into the bloodstream, but it has been named ‘the stress hormone’ because it’s secreted in higher levels during the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to stress, and is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body.

The reason cortisol is important in stressful situations is because it provides the following positive effects:

• A quick burst of energy for survival reasons
• A burst of increased immunity
• Heightened memory functions
• Helps maintain homeostasis in the body
• Lower sensitivity to pain

Unfortunately, as I covered in a previous article, today’s modern ‘stresses’ don’t require the same ‘fight or flight’ response as we needed back in our caveman days and so as a result, we tend to remain feeling stressed for longer and don’t go back to feeling relaxed during which cortisol levels would eventually normalise. As a result we could find ourselves in a state of chronic stress which has been shown to have negative effects, such as:

• Impaired cognitive performance
• Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycaemia
• Higher blood pressure
• Decreased muscle tissue
• Decreased bone density
• Suppressed thyroid function
• Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body
• Increased abdominal fat
• Increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome, higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL)

To keep cortisol levels healthy and under control you can learn to relax your body with various stress management techniques including guided imagery, journaling, yoga, exercise, self hypnosis, listening to music, breathing exercises, meditation and sex.

Cortisol secretion does vary amongst individuals as people tend to be biologically ‘wired’ to react differently to stress. If you do find that you are more sensitive to stress, it’s especially important for you to learn stress management techniques and maintain a low-stress lifestyle.
Lifestyle Improvers offers all our clients a ‘non-sweat’ coaching program to assist you with managing the day to day stresses of our lives. For more information visit our website http://www.lifestyleimprovers.com/.

Do You Have Self Control?

One thing that goes a long way to helping you with your eating plans is self control. Do you find yourself sneaking a chocolate biscuit after dinner and then thinking ‘that was good’ and going back for another and then before you know it you’ve knocked off the whole packet? It is a common occurrence in most households, I suspect, particularly if competition is high for the so called ‘yummy’ food in the cupboards.

The problem with this scenario is that most of us have never learnt the art of self control when it comes to ‘treat’ style foods so whenever we have access to them we over do it. If though, we are to learn how to ultimately control our food intake and our weight for life, we also need to learn to self regulate ourselves even as adults.

So how do we do this? Below I have outlined a number of points that may assist you in learning how to implement self control when it comes to eating ‘treats’ ;

• The best practice of course is not to have treats in the cupboards or fridge in the first place however this is sometimes easier said than done.


• Allocate portions that will spread out the eating of the treat over the whole week rather than demolishing it in one sitting – an example of this would be if you had a small block of dark chocolate in the fridge that had say 14 pieces. Break it up into those 14 pieces and allow yourself 1 or 2 pieces per night as a maximum.


• Keep your treat foods in a container that is not readily in sight so that when you go to the fridge or cupboard the treats are not the first thing you see.


• Have ready made healthy alternatives such as fruit or vegetables in plain sight so you can easily grab an apple rather than a packet of chips.


• When you feel like something sweet, drink two large glasses of water, brush your teeth or chew some sugar free gum instead.
  

Like anything in life total avoidance is usually not the answer and will often lead to ‘binge’ eating if you have deprived yourself of something totally for a long period of time. Self management is what we ultimately need to master if we are to be in control of our eating and in turn we will be in control of our weight.

Why Am I So Hungry?

Over the past 4 or 5 weeks I have been following a fairly strict high protein, low carbohydrate eating plan. This called for significant changes to my usual ‘seefood diet’, that is see food and eat it! The eating plan cuts out all sugar, all dairy, all alcohol and limits carbohydrates to fruit and vegetables therefore no pastas, rice or breads.

I have followed this eating plan a few times now and highly recommend it if you are seeking to lose roughly 1-2 kgs per week. It is not a long term solution as we do need foods from all the food groups to make up a balanced diet on an ongoing basis. I also recommend an increase in activity to coincide with the eating plan to really accelerate your results. It is so easy to increase our activity levels and if you think you don’t have time you’re kidding yourself.

As little as half an hour each day can help the energy in versus energy out equation begin to work in your favour. Just think of how many hours we waste each day either in front of the TV or computer, social networking or laying in bed.

Another huge revelation for me while following the eating plan is in regard to portion sizes. Nearly all of us eat far more than we need. Ideally you’ll probably find you can halve the amount of food on your plate at meal times and still survive comfortably. This may seem unreasonable for the big eaters amongst us but trust me, your body will adjust.

It is interesting to notice the changes in your appetite once you begin to lose weight. The first week or two will be the hardest and may find you asking yourself ‘Why am I so hungry’? If you find this is the case this is what your body may in fact be telling you ;

• Your meals do not contain enough vegetables – start adding an extra serve or two of vegetables or salad to each meal.


• You have been drinking too much diet soft drink or coffee as both caffeine containing drinks are natural stimulants and can disrupt your natural hunger instincts. Try drinking more water in place of these.


• You are not eating the right balance of carbohydrates and protein, especially in the morning – if you are hungry all morning then your breakfast is either too small or does not contain enough protein.


• You are eating too many carbohydrates – a constant stream of glucose to the body’s cells can cause a relatively high insulin release which can drive appetite.


• You are not eating enough in the day – if you have skipped breakfast and only had a small lunch, you may experience rebound hunger in the afternoon and/or evening.
  

Once you get over the initial changes, figure out what your portion sizes can be reduced to and get your balance of protein versus carbohydrate sorted out, you will discover that the feelings of hunger begin to subside and the weight will begin to start falling off you.

For further information regarding this eating plan please contact Lifestyle Improvers via our website www.lifestyleimprovers.com/contact.html or by calling 1300 339 685.

Is Knee Pain Holding You Back?

Knee pain is among the most commonly encountered problems among our population. While there are many causes of knee pain, most can be helped with some specific stretching and strengthening exercises. Even if surgery is necessary on the knee, rehabilitation will certainly be a part of your recovery process.


If surgery is necessary, we know that rehab tends to be a smoother process in stronger knees. Patients with stronger muscles around the knee going into surgery have a faster, more successful recovery.

The goal of knee rehab is twofold ;

• One is to prevent weakening of the muscles that surround the knee.
• Second is to diminish the burden on the knee joint.

People who have stronger muscles surrounding the knee often have fewer problems with the joint. Weaker muscles create more work for the knee joint by providing less support. Conversely, strong muscles of the leg better support and control the knee joint.

The first and last part of any exercise program should be a simple stretching routine. A few simple leg stretches can get your rehab exercises started off properly. Try not to neglect this step, even if you're in a hurry.




Before you begin any stretching program, be certain you understand the basic rules of how to stretch properly. Improper stretching technique can be counterproductive and even lead to the development of injuries.



The muscles surrounding the knee include the quadriceps, hamstring, and calf muscles. The focus of most knee rehabilitation is on these muscles. When injuries occur, often these muscles become weaker and less supportive of the knee.

Often neglected, but a common source of knee problems, are the muscles around the hip joint.

Remember when someone once told you the leg bone is connected to the hip bone? Well, new research is revealing that knee problems can often be traced to weakness of the muscles that surround the hip.



A program to develop the hip stabilisers should focus on the hip abductors, hip flexors and gluteal muscles. Most of these exercises can be done without weights, and should emphasise proper form.


Many people rehab their knees by doing a select number of strengthening exercises a few times each day. But the fact is that just as critical as the overall strength, is the endurance of these muscles. Without endurance, these muscles will quickly fatigue.



Increasing endurance is best accomplished with low impact cardio-vascular activities, among the best of which is riding a stationary bicycle. Also excellent are swimming or other pool workouts. Walking is an OK exercise, but higher impact on the knees. If you must walk or do other high impact sports, try to also incorporate some cycling and swimming.



Here at Lifestyle Improvers we have the experience to assist you with any knee problems and will work in conjunction with your registered health professional to get your knees functioning efficiently again.

Do You Have a Back Up Plan?

Inevitably in life things do not always run to plan. Relationships break up, plans get cancelled, friendships end and appointments are changed. How we respond to these unexpected changes on a daily basis can play a powerful role in determining our happiness and wellbeing. Some of us hate change and are upset and frustrated when things do not go to plan. Others are much better at rolling with the punches and “going with” the changes rather than psychologically fighting and resenting them.

One strategy that can be exceptionally useful if you are a person who does not like change is to always consider a back up plan whether it is for a job, scheduled dinner or even a relationship. Knowing that you have an alternate option, even if you would hope you will not need it can be all you need to relax a little and start to enjoy what life offers you, whether it was what you planned or not.

Knowing that if your dinner plans are cancelled you will catch up with your family instead, or if you miss the train you can get a different bus and walk a little more or even if your husband leaves you will find someone better gives you exceptional freedom and peace of mind, which is all many of us crave on a daily basis and the key factors that will bring us all closer to calmness and free us from the worry about the “what ifs” in life.

So how do we develop these back up plans? Below are a few options to consider ;

1. As I always recommend it is a best practice to write things down.
2. Record it in your diary.
3. Make a ‘back up plan’ file on your Laptop.
4. Store your plans in your phone.

Go through any of life’s scenarios that may bother you from time to time and write down an alternate plan. An example could be if you got laid off from your job what would you do? Would you go back to study? Would you stay at home and complete the home duties? Would you have another job in mind to apply for? Having a back up plan will give you peace of mind and reduce the amount you worry.

A famous quote says ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ and this can easily be applied to back up plans as well.

Can You See Yourself Fit and Strong?

A most important and very under rated technique used in the fitness industry is visualisation. Can you visualise yourself after you’ve lost 10kgs, can you see yourself with six pack abs, can you imagine looking in the mirror and seeing the body you desire?

World class athletes use this technique extensively from an Olympic sprinter seeing him or herself on the winner’s podium to a gymnast mentally rehearsing their routine prior to actually doing it or an AFL footballer going through a goal kicking scenario to win a game after the final siren has sounded.

The same principles can be applied to whatever goals you may be striving to achieve in 2011 and beyond. If it’s improving your diet for example, you can mentally rehearse coming home from work, preparing a nutrient rich meal, seeing the ingredients, imagining the smells of your favourite recipe being prepared and watching yourself sit down at the table and enjoy a healthy, satisfying meal.

If it’s a physical challenge you are striving to achieve such as completing a marathon or triathlon or lifting a personal best in the gym the same principles apply. Find yourself a nice quiet place, it can be dark if that helps you visualise better, and see yourself lining up at the start of the marathon with all the other runners. Make it as realistic as your mind will allow, hear the starters gun, see yourself with an initial adrenalin fuelled surge as your run begins and then settling into your ideal pace. See landmarks on your marathon course as you pass them by, watch yourself passing the distance markers 5, 10, 21, 30 and 40 kms and then see the finishing tape in the distance. Allow yourself a personal celebration as you cross the 42km finish line and imagine the great feeling of achievement and satisfaction that will filter through your mind and body.

Try these 3 easy steps to get you on the path to seeing yourself achieve your goals:

· Write down your goals and/or dreams
· Read them either out loud or to yourself until you can memorise them
· Then close your eyes and see yourself achieving these goals and or dreams

You may currently think being a fit, strong, healthy person is just a fantasy and if that is the way you think then you will be right. If you allow your mind to open up and believe what you visualise and believe the actions and behaviours that will get you there those fantasies of the past can become the realities of the future. See yourself fit and strong in 2011.

There Is No Excuse

When it comes to fitness, strength training and/or weight loss the list of excuses that you allow yourself to miss training is endless. Is it too hot, too cold or too wet? Or maybe you’re too busy at work, too tired after work or too caught up looking after the kids? We could go on and on but the truth of the matter is, unless it’s an emergency or an injury, there is no excuse for missing training if you want to achieve your goals.

Are you an excuse maker? Do you regularly change your schedule so that eating well and exercising take a back seat? Do you skip crucial diet and exercise appointments? Do you eat rubbish when you could have eaten better with a little extra effort and preparation?

While the year is still relatively young can we all agree to stop with the excuses. It is time to stop thinking of all the reasons why you ate rubbish and instead look for ways not too. To stop explaining why you couldn’t make training and instead plan the time you are going to do it. To stop making excuses for yourself when you have again failed to lose weight even though you claim to want to lose it more than anything.

Successful people do not make excuses. They do what they need to do to make sure things happen no matter what. They schedule training sessions when they know they will get to them; they prepare their food no matter where they are and make time to eat healthily and they work hard as they need to get things done. They make their appointments no matter what and if they do happen to miss one they make it up rather than skip it altogether.

So this week if you only make one promise to yourself, make it NO MORE EXCUSES!

Here at Lifestyle Improvers, we also offer a non-sweat coaching service that can assist you with time management and goal setting etc and assist you to get your life in order and allow you time to invest in yourself. Please see our website at http://www.lifestyleimprovers.com/gold-restrictive-removal-coaching-program.html for further details.

Avoid Over Heating This Summer

We are in the midst of another beautiful long hot Perth summer and exercising in the heat can present a challenge in itself. As a fitness trainer the last thing I want to occur is for one of my clients to suffer from heat exhaustion.

Heat illness, which can present as either heat exhaustion or heat stroke can occur when a person exercises vigorously in hot conditions. It can also present with prolonged exposure to hot weather, even if the activity is being done at a low intensity. In cooler weather heat illness can still occur if the person is exercising at a high intensity.
Symptoms of heat illness include such things as feeling light headed, dizziness, nausea, loss of coordination, confusion, collapse, cessation of sweating or an obvious change to skin colour (usually pale).

Factors that can increase the risk of heat illness include ;
• Age – junior participants are at a higher risk
• Prior history of heat illness
• Intensity level of exercise
• Exercise environment
• Dehydration
• Prolonged exposure to hot conditions
• Existing or recent illness or medical conditions
• Exposure to radiant heat from surfaces such as black asphalt or concrete

So what can we do to minimise the risk of heat illness? Where possible schedule your exercise sessions in the early morning or evening to avoid the extreme temperatures during the middle of the day. If that’s not possible and the temperature is extreme consider cancelling your session or reducing the length and/or intensity of your session. Ensure adequate hydration prior to and during exercise and seek shade where possible. Participants should be encouraged to wear light, loose clothing, wear a hat and sunglasses and apply sunscreen before and during the session if required.

If despite all your best efforts, a participant still falls victim to heat illness the following steps will aid in recovery. Immediately lie the person down and loosen or remove any excess clothing. Attempt to reduce their body temperature by fanning or applying ice packs (in particular to the groin and armpit areas) and give them cool water to drink. If required seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

Consistently focusing on your lifestyle improving efforts will help keep you out of danger in the hot summer months. To check your lifestyle's health go here.

Do diet soft drinks make us fat?

No calories, no sugar but lots of bubbles and an amazing sweet taste – too good to be true? Maybe so……….Artificial sweeteners; aspartame, saccharin and sucralose are among some of the varieties that have been used for a number of years to make some of our favourite sweet foods including soft drink, desserts, jelly and yoghurt taste up to 200x sweeter than their sugar based alternative for 0 calories
Regularly I see people who drink numerous “diet” soft drinks each day – hence getting the sweet hit they are looking for without any negative health consequences. Often, these same people struggle with weight loss. You may be interested to know that one of the first changes I suggest they make to their diet in an attempt to get their weight under control once and for all is eliminate all artificially sweetened product. Why?

There is growing evidence to show that it is in fact possible to be “addicted” to sweet foods. Programming the brain to constantly look for exceptionally sweet food whether it is cake, lollies or diet soft drink appears to disrupt the body’s natural hunger and fullness signals for a number a reasons. Here are two major ones.

1. telling the body you are getting glucose(energy) but then telling it is not,
2. programming the brain to seek exceptionally sweet stimulus and finally exposing the body to intensely sweet flavour and taste sensations when we perhaps should not be receiving any stimulus at all, even though we think 0 calories is all that matters.

So, if you constantly consume diet soft drink – start to wean off and replace it with water, green tea or black tea.

Observe how much more in control of your food cravings you are, and the way you begin to feel hunger and fullness again – it may be the best thing you could ever do for your weight, your diet and your taste buds.

Is Shoulder Pain Limiting your Movement?

Painful shoulder conditions that limit movement are very common and are caused by problems with the shoulder joint and its surrounding structures. The shoulder is more prone to injuries due to its wide range of movement.

There are a number of main reasons for shoulder pain including rotator cuff injuries, arthritis, frozen shoulder and shoulder dislocations or instability. Let’s take a look at these 4 areas in a bit more detail.
Rotator Cuff injuries – the rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that help to move the shoulder and hold the joint in place. Rotator cuff disorders result from inflammation or damage to the rotator cuff muscles or tendons. The inflammation can be caused by general wear and tear that occurs with age, activities that require constant or repetitive shoulder motion (especially above shoulder level), heavy lifting, trauma or poor posture. The pain associated with rotator cuff injuries is normally felt at the front or on the outside of the shoulder, particularly when you raise your arm or lift something above your head. You may also notice the pain more when you are lying in bed.

Frozen Shoulder – is characterised by progressive pain and stiffness in the shoulder. The pain is felt deep in the shoulder joint and may be more pronounced at night. The exact cause of this condition is not known however it normally occurs following a shoulder injury. It is thought that resting an injured or painful shoulder for too long can cause the shoulder muscles and connective tissues to stiffen up.

Arthritis – causes progressive joint pain, tenderness, swelling and stiffness. Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can affect the shoulder joint.

Shoulder dislocations or instability – shoulder dislocation occurs when the ball shaped head of your upper arm bone (humerus) comes out of the shoulder socket. It may be caused by a fall, sporting injury or trauma and is an extremely painful condition. Following a dislocation the shoulder joint sometimes becomes unstable and susceptible to repeated dislocations. This condition is known as shoulder instability, and causes pain and unsteadiness when you raise your arm or move it away from your body.

As with any type of injury a correct diagnosis from your registered health professional is critical to limit the long term effects of a shoulder injury. Following correct diagnosis there are a number of possible outcomes including surgery, pain relievers, hot/cold treatments, steroid injections, rest, massage or appropriate exercise prescription.

Here at Lifestyle Improvers we have specific programs aimed to improve posture and can tailor programs to suit any injury rehabilitation requirements that our clients may require. We are more than happy to liaise with your registered health professional to help you achieve the desired outcome.